Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQs
What is CommonHealth?
CommonHealth is a public service of The Commons Project, designed to make it easy for people to collect their electronic health record data and share it with health apps and partners that they trust. CommonHealth leverages data interoperability standards, including SMART Health Cards and HL7 FHIR, to offer functionality analogous to Apple Health™ to users of Android™ phones.
Is CommonHealth free?
CommonHealth is free for people. There are no hidden fees or missing features. There are no ads, and we do not collect or sell personal data.
Why is my hospital or health provider offering CommonHealth?
Your doctor, practice, or hospital would like to offer you the option to collect, store, and share your own health information from all of your providers. The goal is to allow you to have more and faster oversight of your health information at your fingertips, all in one secure place.
Why should I use CommonHealth?
CommonHealth offers users a number of key benefits:
Access your information where you need it, when you need it: With CommonHealth, your health information is right at your fingertips -- take it with you wherever you go and share it with those you trust.
Engage with all of your health information in one place: Get a holistic view of your health information by importing data from multiple providers. CommonHealth helps you and your care team understand the full picture.
Your information is only shared with those you trust: CommonHealth puts you in control of your data. Your data is stored only on your device, not in the cloud. Your data will not be sold, used for marketing or advertising, or shared without your informed consent.
What if I don't remember my provider login?
Please check with your health provider's patient portal website for login support.
For example, if your provider uses MyChart, see the Epic MyChart FAQ: https://www.mychartcentral.com/FAQ.aspx
Why can’t I see all my records?
You may not see all the records you are expecting for a number of reasons:
We may be having trouble connecting to the data source
Your log-in may have expired
The data source may not have made records available yet
Try checking again later. If the records still don’t appear, check with the data source directly.
Are my health records secure?
Your records are stored and encrypted on your device. Your phone's security settings remain in place. During enrollment you will be asked to provide a 6-digit passcode or, if available, a mobile-based biometric authentication process. This data is not shared with us or any other partner or vendor; it remains private within your device.
I lost my enrollment passcode or my biometrics to log-in to the account doesn't work. What now?
Your security and privacy is important for CommonHealth. With that, we do not have access to control or update your enrollment passcode or biometrics. You must keep your enrollment passcode memorized or in a safe place that allows you to continue to log-in to use CommonHealth. If you lose your enrollment passcode or your on-device biometrics fail to log you in to your CommonHealth account, you must remove your account, which will delete your previously downloaded data, and re-enroll into CommonHealth from the beginning.
Can I delete all my data within my account?
Yes, you control your data within CommonHealth. Within the app, go to Account and at the bottom you will see the option to “Remove Account,” which will delete all of your data. Once you delete your health information data, you will not be able to retrieve it again, unless you request your medical records from your doctors again. The medical record data legally and clinically required to be held by your doctors will not and cannot be deleted by you. If you have questions about your medical records stored by your doctor, please reach out to your doctor directly.
I am looking for my hospital, doctor, or health care provider and cannot find them in your search bar.
This most likely means that we are not connected to your provider yet. If your search results are empty, there is an option to email us which provider you would like to add to our directory.
I work for a hospital, health plan, or digital health company. What are the next steps for partnering with CommonHealth?
Tell us your company’s name and provide your contact information by emailing our partnership team at: partner@commonhealth.org.
It’s generally very easy to connect with CommonHealth, whether you’re a provider looking to share data with your patients or an app developer looking to work with patient records.
How do I add my COVID-19 vaccination booster shot?
If you received your booster shot at a different provider than your initial vaccination, you may have two or more SMART Health Cards that make up your full vaccination record. If this is the case, then the group of SMART Health Cards can serve as your full vaccination credential in CommonHealth (and Samsung Wallet). Each card must be individually uploaded and shared.
If you received your initial vaccination and booster from one provider, you may have a single SMART Health Card that includes your initial vaccination and your booster shot(s). This single card can serve as your full vaccination credential in CommonHealth (and Samsung Wallet).
SMART Health Card Questions
What is a SMART Health Card?
A SMART Health Card SMART Health Cards are verified versions of your clinical information, such as vaccination history or test results. SMART Health Cards contain a secure QR code and may be saved digitally or printed on paper. They allow you to keep a copy of your records on hand and share this information with others if you choose. SMART Health Cards can be imported into CommonHealth, so you can easily store them and your other health records all in one place.
What personal information is shown when a verifier scans a SMART Health Card?
When someone scans your SMART Health Card, they will see:
Your first and last name
Date of birth
Vaccination status (confirmed or not-confirmed) or testing status (positive or negative).
How long will my SMART Health Card test and/or vaccination information stay in the CommonHealth app?
A SMART Health Card is available in the CommonHealth mobile application until you explicitly delete it or uninstall the app.
How do I get a SMART Health Card?
You might receive a paper or digital SMART Health Card from any organization that has your clinical information, such as a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or state registry.
For more information about organizations who are issuing SMART Health Cards for vaccine records, please visit this page.
To get a SMART Health Card into CommonHealth, you may:
Scan a QR code from a portal or website
Import a file or image from a portal or another app
Connect directly to your healthcare provider via CommonHealth
How will I use my SMART Health Card once it’s in CommonHealth?
You can use your SMART Health Card to share your test or vaccination record with those you trust. You can do this by:
Holding up the QR code for someone to scan
Sharing it with another app on your device
Uploading it into a web portal
Can I hold multiple SMART Health Cards in CommonHealth?
Yes, CommonHealth can store as many SMART Health Cards as you need.
Can I use my CDC card with CommonHealth?
CommonHealth only accepts SMART Health Cards at this time. Printed vaccination records that do not include a QR code, including CDC cards, cannot be processed by our system. To learn more about SMART Health Cards click here.
Digital Wallet Questions
Why should I use CommonHealth to store my SMART Health Card on a mobile device?
You should use the CommonHealth app to download, store and share your health data in one place.
Storing your SMART Health Card in supported mobile devices (Samsung and other Android devices) makes it easy to access and use your SMART Health Card on the go, such as when you need to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination for travel, to enter a venue, or to share it with a trusted party such as a school, workplace, or healthcare provider.
Where can I use a SMART Health Card stored in my mobile phone?
You can use digital wallets such as Samsung Wallet or Google Pay to access and show your SMART Health QR code anywhere that is accepting SMART Health Cards as proof of health status, such as for travel, at a venue, at school, or at a bar or restaurant. You can also access the digital cards right from the home screen of your Android devices.
Google Pay Questions
How do I store my SMART Health Card in Google Pay via CommonHealth?
Storing your SMART Health Card in Google Pay via CommonHealth is simple:
Step One: Refer to the Registry of Verified SMART Health Card Issuers for Vaccinations to see if your vaccine provider is issuing SMART Health Cards.
PLEASE NOTE: Paper CDC cards are not supported by CommonHealth at this time.
Step Two: Download the CommonHealth app from the Google Play Store and follow instructions to import your SMART Health Card Covid-19 vaccine credential.
Step Three: Once you have access to your Covid-19 vaccine credential within the CommonHealth app, click the “Save to phone” link. You can save the digital pass on your phone’s home screen and access it through Google Pay.
Step Four: Tap on the digital pass on the home screen or open Google Pay and tap on “Covid-19 Vaccine Pass”
Who can use Google Pay with a SMART Health Card?
Anyone who has been issued a SMART Health Card from the CommonHealth directory and has a compatible Android phone can store it in Google Pay for easy access.
Note that printed vaccination records that do not include a QR code, including CDC cards, cannot be used to create a vaccination record in Google Pay.
What technology do I need to have in order to store a SMART Health Card in Google Pay via CommonHealth?
To store a SMART Health Card in Google Pay via CommonHealth, your device needs to run Android 5 or above and be Play Protect certified. To get your SMART Health Card from CommonHealth, you will also need access to the internet.
Samsung Wallet Questions
Who can use Samsung Wallet with a SMART Health Card?
Anyone who has been issued a SMART Health Card from the CommonHealth directory and has a compatible Galaxy phone can store it in Samsung Wallet for easy access.
Please note that printed vaccination records that do not include a QR code, including CDC cards, cannot be used to create a vaccination record in Samsung Wallet.
What technology do I need to have in order to store a SMART Health Card in Samsung Wallet via CommonHealth?
To store a SMART Health Card in Samsung Wallet via CommonHealth, you’ll need a compatible Galaxy device with an Android operating system 6.0 or above. To get your SMART Health Card from CommonHealth, you will also need access to the internet.
How do I store my SMART Health Card in Samsung Wallet via CommonHealth?
Storing your SMART Health Card in Samsung Wallet via CommonHealth is simple:
Step One: Refer to the Registry of Verified SMART Health Card Issuers for Vaccinations to see if your vaccine provider is issuing SMART Health Cards.
PLEASE NOTE: Paper CDC cards are not supported by CommonHealth at this time.
Step Two: Download the CommonHealth app from the Google Play Store and follow instructions to import your SMART Health Card Covid-19 vaccine credential.
Step Three: Once you have access to your Covid-19 vaccine credential within the CommonHealth app, click the “Add to Samsung Wallet” link.
Step Four: Open Samsung Wallet and click “Covid-19 Vaccine Pass” from the homepage.